LAHORE: Schoolteachers have asked the Punjab government to stop victimising them in the name of improving standards of education in public schools.

Speaking at a seminar held in connection with World Teachers Day at the press club here on Monday, teachers from various public schools lamented the government was making their life miserable instead of restoring theirrespect in society.

`Schoolteachers in several districts of Punjab are getting meagre salary and are blatantly punished for student drop-out and observing leaves. Holding teachers responsible for all ills in the education system is unfortunate,` said Rana Liaquat, an office-bearer of the Punjab Teachers Union, which had organised the seminar.

He said schoolteachers in a city like Lahore were getting salaries less than the minimum wage, but the authorities concerned werenot taking notice.

Sajjad Kazmi, association president, said the government had placed an `unannounced` ban on leaves of teachers. He said the government should take measures to restore the respect of teachers in society and improve their salary package.

The University of Engineering and Technology also organised a functionin thisregard.Speakingon the occasion, Vice Chancellor Prof Fazal Ahmad Khalid said observing teachers day was the ideal way of expressing gratitude to teachers.`Education is the 1(ey to everything. It is the key to peace and democratic stability, jobs and economic growth. But you cannot have a school, college or university without teachers,` he said, adding teaching had always been considered a noble profession. He said teachers were invariably seen as frontline participants in educational reforms that were critical to successful, highquality schools and universities.

Prof Khalid said teachers played a prominent role in the life of students.